{"id":8818,"date":"2022-11-09T16:05:57","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T16:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/?p=8818"},"modified":"2025-01-09T19:20:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T00:20:11","slug":"i-am-ruby-bridges-behind-the-new-childrens-book-by-civil-rights-icon-ruby-bridges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/i-am-ruby-bridges-behind-the-new-childrens-book-by-civil-rights-icon-ruby-bridges\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI Am Ruby Bridges\u201d: Behind The New Children\u2019s Book By Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Activist and civil rights icon Ruby Bridges made history in 1960 when she became the first Black student to attend an all-white school. Her new children\u2019s book I Am Ruby Bridges<\/em> shares the impactful story through the perspective of her six-year-old self. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bridges was born in Tylertown, Mississippi in 1954 and grew up in New Orleans. Her experience at William Frantz Elementary was traumatic: as an innocent six year old, she faced racial slurs, harassment, and extreme bullying and disrespect even from adults every day that she attended school, but she courageously persevered. She recalled a horrifying moment where a white woman held her Black doll in a coffin. Many white parents took their children out of school due to her unwelcome presence. Bridges\u2019 experience fueled the inspiration behind Norman Rockwell\u2019s famous, provocative painting \u201cThe Problem We All Live With,\u201d pictured below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Her 48-page children\u2019s book includes powerful and vivid illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, along with a glossary that will aid in the education of today\u2019s children, and teach critical lessons to the next generation of advocates and activists, informing them about America\u2019s disturbing past. \u201cIt is important for all children to know all of our history, good or bad,\u201d Bridges told NBC News<\/a>. \u201cIt is our shared history in this country and because of it we should all know that history.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With racial tension on the rise and schools attempting to silence and invalidate racism in our country through banning certain books in their curriculum, Bridges\u2019 story becomes all the more critical to be heard and remembered by the youth. \u201cThe fact that my own introduction to racism came from this experience at just 6 years old while integrating the Frantz school is why this project is so important to me,\u201d she said. \u201cBecause of the current climate around race relations, I feel that it is a calling for me to help teach that same age and to tell them my story.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n